The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to see our party’s Member in the Chair.

¶ 02 An Hon. Government Member spoke calmly; I thank him. He decried mudslinging. Yet I understand he and allies handle social media for the JVP and the Government; if so, he too should self-reflect and desist from such campaigns.

¶ 03 Coming to the point: if there had been no errors in Grade 6 modules, and if Hon. Harini Amarasuriya as Minister had carefully consulted stakeholders, professors, and experts, there would be no issue. Hon. Deputy Minister Muneer Mulafer is also present; I hope he listens.

¶ 04 President Ranil Wickremesinghe knows well the limits and strengths of this team. He reverses when necessary — and has reversed many things. But the country needs leaders who take firm, consistent decisions — like J. R. Jayewardene, D. S. Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake, John Kotelawala, Gamini Dissanayake, Dharmadasa Banda — leaders who decide and implement, not reverse at every Facebook attack. This reform too was reversed.

¶ 05 We accept that reforms are a continuous process. Who opposed private universities and every liberalization? The JVP. From economic to education reforms, they opposed all.

¶ 06 This reversal has cost over Rs. 800 million in printed books now to be withdrawn. Who pays? The Attorney General has reportedly declined to proceed against President Wickremesinghe in another matter — now there are moves to remove the AG. Will the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption act on complaints? These book withdrawals are losses to the State.

¶ 07 To the Hon. Deputy Minister: would you accept inclusion of a homosexual website in Grade 6 English? An 11-year-old accessing it would be disturbed; how will they study then? Adults’ private lives are their own, but do not introduce such matters to children. Our culture, morals, and religions do not accept this for schoolchildren.

¶ 08 Tourism authorities also issued a letter on related matters and then reversed it. Now even the President cites problems in module preparation, teacher training delays, technical issues. Should the Minister not resign after spending Rs. 800 million and failing? Children had prepared for the new syllabus; nearly a million Grade 6 students were ready.

¶ 09 Budget numbers also show cuts while undertaking reforms: total capital for education reduced (e.g., from Rs. 99.3 bn to 98.8 bn); university allocations down (Rs. 135.3 bn to 133.9 bn); only Rs. 1,500 per primary school under a 3,560-school program — what can that buy? Secondary school facility funds slashed by 75%; funds for 1,300 schools’ upgrades reduced; scholarship funds cut by Rs. 45 million; nutrition for sports schools cut by Rs. 80 million. With cuts everywhere, how will you implement reforms?

¶ 10 This Government reverses everything: KDU medical intake of locals — reversed; Auditor General appointment — delayed; corporal punishment stance — reversed; tank boundary demarcations — reversed; electricity rate hikes — reversed; Rs. 72,000 plug-base fiasco — reversed; Wilpattu road — reversed; SupremeSAT narrative — reversed; Suwaseriya livery change — reversed; Northern land gazette — reversed; windshield medical sticker removal — reversed; Sathosa rice quantities — reversed; school closing times — reversed; Batalanda issue — reversed; even the President’s attendance at a Ranaviru commemoration — reversed after Facebook pressure. Governance by Facebook cannot run a country.

¶ 11 The AG is being targeted; attempts are made to prosecute critics; cases collapse, money is wasted. Do reforms properly: plan, consult stakeholders, allocate funds, train teachers. Do not try and then reverse.

¶ 12 Thank you.